Golf hole plug

ABSTRACT

A golf hole plug includes a cylindrical member having an outer wall dimensioned to abut an inner wall of a golf hole after a golf cup is removed from the golf hole, the cylindrical member including a central surface located to prevent sand or other debris from falling to the bottom of the golf hole when the cylindrical member is mounted within the golf hole.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119 (e) of U.S.Provisional Application No. 60/853,951, filed on Oct. 24, 2006, which ishereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the field of golf green maintenance, and morespecifically to a hole plug.

BACKGROUND

The greens on a golf course are sometimes aerated to improve the growthof grass on the green by providing oxygen to the roots of grass and as ameans for exposing weed killer and fertilizer to the grass of theputting surface, and for providing proper water drainage. Aerating isaccomplished by using spiked rollers that pull small dirt plugs out ofthe putting surface. After aerating a green, sand is spread over thegreen to fill the aerated holes.

The spiked rollers can do unintentional damage to the golf hole on thegreen. For example, the spiked roller can damage the sides of the hole.Also, sand can get knocked into the hole during the process. Thus, theworker has to straighten the sides of the golf hole to regain integrityof hole and has to remove all of the debris and sand that has filled it.This is generally done painstakingly by hand.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a hole plug, in accordance with oneembodiment.

FIG. 2 shows a top view of the hole plug of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a hole plug in a golf hole, in accordance with oneembodiment.

FIG. 4 shows a side view of the hole plug in the golf hole.

FIG. 5 shows a side, cross-section view of a hole plug, in accordancewith one embodiment.

FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the hole plug of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description, reference is made to theaccompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which is shown byway of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may bepracticed. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail toenable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is tobe understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structuralchanges may be made without departing from the scope of the presentinvention. Therefore, the following detailed description is not to betaken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention isdefined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a golf hole plug 100, in accordance with oneembodiment. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of golf plug 100 and FIG. 2 isa top view of the golf hole plug. Hole plug 100 is a cylindricallyshaped unit having an outer wall 102. Hole plug 100 is dimensioned tofit within a golf hole and, in one embodiment, has dimensions of about4.25″ in diameter and about 6.75″ in height. Thus, hole plug 100 fitssnuggly within a regulation size golf hole.

In one embodiment, hole plug 100 has dimensions of about 4.25 inches indiameter and about 5 inches in height for use in a practice green, forexample.

In one embodiment, hole plug 100 is made from a durable, lightweight,weather resistant foam material. For example, hole plug 100 can be madefrom a closed-cell, polyester foam having a density of about 1.2 poundsper cubic foot. Some embodiments use a foam having a density of betweenabout 1.0 pound per cubic foot to about 1.4 pounds per cubic foot. Thefoam material of the hole plug is chosen to be strong enough to protectthe integrity of the golf hole by supporting the sides of the hole,while being soft enough to not do any damage to a aerating spikes.

Hole plug 100 can include one or more holes 110 extending at leastpartially into the plug to allow a user to grip the hole plug 100 andpull it out of a golf hole. In one example, holes 110 have a diameter ofabout 0.75 inches. This allows a user to reach into the hole plug with athumb and forefinger to remove the plug from a hole. In some examples,holes 110 extend all the way through the plug 100. In other embodiments,holes 110 extend partially into the plug 100. Holes 110 can be formedwhen plug 100 is being molded or they can cut from the plug body afterit is formed.

Hole plug 100 includes an upper surface 104 which prevents sand fromfalling into a golf hole when hole plug 100 is mounted therein. The holeplug 100 can be used in either direction and so when one side has becomedamaged the hole plug can be reversed.

FIG. 3 shows hole plug 100 mounted within a golf hole 120 on a green200, and FIG. 4 shows a side, cross-section view of hole plug 100 withinthe golf hole. To use the hole plug 100, the golf cup is removed fromthe golf hole 120 and the hole plug 100 is placed within the golf hole120. Outer wall 102 of golf plug 120 abuts against inner dirt wall 402of golf hole 120. Thus, hole plug 100 protects the integrity of the golfhole when aerating greens by preventing the tines from damaging walls402. Moreover, the material of hole plug 100 allows aeration tines topenetrate plug 100 without pulling it out of the hole. After aeration,grass and dirt plugs are removed from the greens surface using a plow ora plug pusher.

Plug 100 can also be used when topdressing green 200 to keep sand fromfilling up golf hole 120. As the sand is spread on the green 200, topsurface 104 of the hole plug 100 prevents sand from falling into hole120. After sanding, hole plug 100 is removed and the golf cup reinsertedinto golf hole 120. Hole plug 100 can be left in holes during wintermonths also. In some embodiments, the hole plug 100 can be reused manytimes.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show a hole plug 500, in accordance with one embodiment.FIG. 5 is a cross-section view and FIG. 6 is a perspective view of holeplug 500. In this example, hole plug 500 includes the same generalcylindrical dimensions as hole plug 100 but includes an H-shapedcross-section. Outer walls 502 protect the integrity of the hole whileaerating, while central wall surface 504 collects sand to keep sand fromfilling up the hole during topdressing.

In other embodiments of the hole plugs described above, other techniquescan be used to get the hole plug out of the hole. For instance, a washercan be attached to the bottom of the hole plug using a string or ropeextending though the plug. The string is then pulled to get the plug outof the hole. In one example, a cork-screw type device can be screwedinto the top of the hole plug and the plug is then pulled out.

Hole plugs 100, 500 can also be used in other situations where a holeneeds to be plugged during aeration, for example in a cemetery.

It is understood that the above description is intended to beillustrative, and not restrictive. Many other embodiments will beapparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the abovedescription. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determinedwith reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope ofequivalents to which such claims are entitled.

1. A golf hole plug comprising: a cylindrical member having an outerwall dimensioned to abut an inner wall of a golf hole after a golf cupis removed from the golf hole, the cylindrical member including acentral surface located to prevent sand or other debris from falling tothe bottom of the golf hole when the cylindrical member is mountedwithin the golf hole.
 2. The golf hole plug of claim 1, wherein thecylindrical member includes a foam material.
 3. The golf hole plug ofclaim 2, wherein the cylindrical member is made completely of the foammaterial.
 4. The golf hole plug of claim 1, wherein the cylindricalmember includes a grip section to remove the cylindrical member from thegolf hole.
 5. The golf hole plug of claim 4, wherein the grip sectionincludes one or more holes extending at least partially into thecylindrical member and dimensioned to receive a finger of a user.
 6. Thegolf hole plug of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical member has an outerdiameter of approximately 4.25 inches.
 7. The golf hole plug of claim 1,wherein the cylindrical member has a height of approximately 6.75inches.
 8. The golf hole plug of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical memberhas a height of approximately 5 inches.
 9. A golf hole plug comprising:a solid foam cylindrical member having an outer diameter ofapproximately 4.25 inches such that an outer wall of the cylindricalmember is positioned to abut an inner wall of a golf hole and an uppersurface to prevent sand from falling into the golf hole when thecylindrical member is positioned within the golf hole.
 10. The golf holeplug of claim 9, wherein the cylindrical member includes a foammaterial.
 11. The golf hole plug of claim 10, wherein the cylindricalmember is made completely of the foam material.
 12. The golf hole plugof claim 9, wherein the cylindrical member includes a grip section toremove the cylindrical member from the golf hole.
 13. The golf hole plugof claim 12, wherein the grip section includes one or more holesextending at least partially into the cylindrical member and dimensionedto receive a finger of a user.
 14. The golf hole plug of claim 9,wherein the cylindrical member has a height of approximately 6.75inches.
 15. The golf hole plug of claim 9, wherein the cylindricalmember has a height of approximately 5 inches.
 16. The golf hole plug ofclaim 9, wherein the solid foam cylindrical member is made completely ofa closed-cell, polyester foam having a density of between about 1.0pound per cubic foot to about 1.4 pounds per cubic foot.
 17. A methodcomprising: placing a cylindrical member into a golf hole on a golfgreen after a golf cup has been removed from the golf hole, thecylindrical member having an outer wall dimensioned to abut an innerwall of the golf hole the cylindrical member including a central surfacelocated to prevent sand or other debris from falling to the bottom ofthe golf hole; and removing the cylindrical member from the golf holeafter the green has been aerated and replacing the golf cup.
 18. Themethod of claim 17, wherein the golf hole plug is formed of a foammaterial and the central surface is a top surface of the cylindricalmember.
 19. The method of claim 17, wherein the cylindrical memberincludes a grip section to remove the cylindrical member from the golfhole.
 20. The method of claim 17, wherein the cylindrical member has anouter diameter of about 4.25 inches.